Puzzle.



No. 736,767. PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903.

D. MOPHBRSON.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

I I I III:rllllllrllzqllllllllllln1112i' UNITED STATES 1 Patented August 18, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 736,767, dated August 18., 1903.

Application filed February 6, 1903. Serial No. 142,153

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DONALD MoPHERsoN, of Palmyra, in the county of Wayne and State of New York, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Puzzles, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings.

My invention is a puzzle, the same consisting of a box or inclosure and a series of differentlycolored balls, as marbles, therein, designed to be rolled about the bottom or floor of the box by the player, the box being successively tilted in a manner to collect or bunch the balls in accordance with a prearranged scheme or plan.

The invention is hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is aplan of thezdevice looking into the inclosing box. Fig. 2 is avertical transverse section on the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a View of the under side of the box, aiding to show its construction. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the middle part of the box, taken on the diagonal dotted line & 1in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is avertical section of parts of the box, taken on the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is avertical section taken on the dotted line 6 6.in Fig. 1. Fig. 7, drawn to an enlarged scale, is a vertical section of the middle part of the box on the dotted line 4 l in Fig. 1, better showing the central rest for the commanding ball or marble;

In the drawings, A is a box or inclosure for holding a series of balls or marbles a, each of a color different from the others. The bottom or floor b of the box has equal angular parts a, raised above or out of the plane of the floor, arranged to inclose between their opposing parallel sides or edges straight diagonal channels or alleys d d, intersecting at right angles at themiddle of the floorb, as shown inFig. 1. The raised parts a are all equally spaced, with the inclosed alleys cl of equal width and havingtheir middle lines intersecting at the center of the floor, at which point is formed in the floor a circular indentation e, as shown in Fig. 7, constitutinga seat for the commandin g marble. Each raised part is formed (No model with two branches meeting in a right angle, said angles being all turned toward the seat e and the ends of the branches facing the side vertical walls of the box with spaces between them and the walls for the balls to move in.

The parts 0 may be separate pieces secured to the floor or bottom of the box; but I prefer to form them directly of portions of the material of the floor itself, the same being pressed upward from beneath while wet and in a plastic state, corresponding depressions f, Fig. 3, being formed in the under surface of the bottom of the box. The outer or extreme ends of the alleys d are open to permit the balls to enter or roll therein, the floorsof the alleys being parts of the original floor of the box and in the same plane therewith.

The balls or marbles 0t are of different colors, asblue, brown, green, red, and yellow, indicated in this order by the letters 13, B, G, R, and Y, all being primarily thrown promiscuously into the box when the working of the puzzle is commenced by the player.

The outer open ends or months of the alleys d are marked respectively to indicate or correspond with the colors of the four subordinate balls of the series. This may be done either by having the names of the colors, Yellow, Blue, Green, Brown, appear adjacent to the entrances of the several alleys or by having small fields g, of said colors, of circular, rectangular, or other form, as shown in Fig. 1, the forms also of these fields or figures indicating the several colors.

In working the puzzle the box is held in the hands of the player and the thing to be accomplished is to successively tilt the box to first cause the commanding marble (colored red) to assume its place on the cavity or rest 9 and then cluster around it the other marbles, as shown by dotted circles in Fig. 1, each marble to be brought into the alley marked to correspond with its own color.

Importance is attached to the fact that the raised portions are disposed so that the passages shall beat right angles toeach other, and the opposite portions in alinement with each other and the depression at the intersection of the lines through the said passages will serve to hold a marble or ball, so as to block all of said passages; but when not thus obstructed there will be no intervening wall or other portion to obstruct the passage directly across the box.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A puzzle consisting of an inclosing box and a series of balls or marbles to roll upon the floor of said box, said floor having parts raised above or out of the plane of the floor and coacting to form alleys for the balls to traverse, said raised parts being equally spaced with their opposing sides parallel and each being formed with two branches and having a right angle, all of which right angles are turned toward the middle of the floor, the said floor being formed with a depression or seat for a ball at the intersection of the middle lines of the alleys, the outer ends of said angular raised parts being at right angles to the upper surface of the floor to form abutments for the balls, substantially as described.

2. A puzzle consisting of an inclosing box and a series ofdifferently-colored balls or marbles to roll upon the floor of said box, said floor having parts raised above or out of the plane of the floor and coacting to form alleys for the balls to traverse, said raised parts being equally spaced with their opposing sides parallel and each being formed with two branches and having a right an gle,all of which right angles are turned toward the middle of the floor, the said floor being formed with a depression or seat for a ball at the intersection of the middle lines of the alleys, the outer ends of said angular raised parts being at right angles to the upper surface of the plane to form abutlnents for the balls, said floor being provided near the open ends of the alleys with small fields g of varying forms and of colors corresponding to the different colors of the balls or marbles.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 2d day of February, 1903, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DONALD MCPHERSON.

WVitnesses:

JOHN W. RUsHMoRE, JAMES K. POTTER. 

